Canning Jars & Labels!

All the different sizes - Ahhh! Canning Jars!

There are so many different
sized canning jars. It all depends on what you are canning, how big
your canner is, and what the recipe you are using recommends. Canning
jars are available in 4 oz., 8 oz., half-pint, pint, and quart sizes.
There are several different brands to choose from. Just be sure you
know what size jars your canner is capable of holding before purchasing
any tho!

You can purchase used
canning jars, but you need to be careful if you are going to be thrifty.
You absolutely do not want to use jars that are darkly clouded, have
nicks or cracks in the glass, or are the vintage colored glass canning
jars.

Onto labeling...

Ah, labeling the canning
jars. Some people are very neat and print out an individual label for
each single jar of canned food. Some people purchase canning
jar labels that they can just fill in with a pen. Others just take
a permanent marker to the lid of the can. But, however you decide to
label your jars, be sure to label your jars promptly.

Of course those are canned
tomatoes and that jar over there, well it is salsa! So why should you
label those jars that you know what is in them?

Well part of the importance
of labeling those jars is the date, you don't want to come across an
unlabeled can and eat it when it turns out it has been in your pantry
for 20 some odd years...

Also, if the food has
spoiled in the jar, it is sometimes unrecognizable, and you will want
to know what it was in order to check other cans of food from that batch
in order to determine if they are spoiled or starting to spoil as well.

It is also helpful if
you decide to give any of your foods away. Just because you know what
is in that can doesn't always mean that your friendly neighbor who is
dying to try out your home canned foods would know what is in it.